Thursday 7 March 2019

Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)

OTHER NAMES: Western Koel
Latin Etymology: Eudynamys ("fine power") scolopaceus ("woodcock")
Adult male Asian Koel (subspecies E. s. malayana) at Ang Mo Kio, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Eudynamys scolopaceus malayana
Weight: 190-327g  /  Length: 39-46cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Asian Koel is one of the most common avian residents of Singapore, but you are far more likely to hear one than see one unless you put the effort in.  You may very well in more wooded areas hear a "buWoo, buWOO, BUWOO" getting louder and higher pitched with each repetition.  It took me a few attempts to track down the instigator of this call - they seem to favour hiding in the canopy most of the time, but a bit of persistant and I finally tracked down a pair.  They are actually members of the cuckoo family, and, like that family is generally thought of, they are brood parasites.

Related Species:
Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Cuculidae
Genugs: Eudynamys
SUBSPECIES: E. s. scolopaceus, E. s. chinensis, E. s. harterti, E. s. malayana, E. s. mindanensis

 - Sighting Locations -
SINGAPORE - Common resident
 - CAMBODIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Fairly commonly heard in various locations, though only seen on one occassion.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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